Social Science Notes Class 6 English Medium 2026-27

Social Science Chapter 6. The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

CBSE Notes New Syllabus: Class 6

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Chapter 6. The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

Section A – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. The Harappan Civilisation flourished approximately during which period?

   1. 5000–4000 BCE
   2. 2600–1900 BCE
   3. 1500–1000 BCE
   4. 1000–500 BCE

2. The people of the Harappan Civilisation are commonly known as:

   1. Vedic people
   2. Harappans
   3. Magadhans
   4. Guptas

3. Which city was the first city of the civilisation to be excavated?

   1. Dholavira
   2. Lothal
   3. Harappa
   4. Kalibangan

4. Which river is mentioned in the Ṛig Veda?

   1. Narmada
   2. Sarasvatī
   3. Godavari
   4. Kaveri

5. Which Harappan site is famous for its sophisticated water-management system?

   1. Dholavira
   2. Harappa
   3. Farmana
   4. Banawali

6. The Great Bath is located at:

   1. Harappa
   2. Mohenjo-daro
   3. Lothal
   4. Dholavira

7. Which metal is added to copper to produce bronze?

   1. Iron
   2. Gold
   3. Tin
   4. Silver

8. Which Harappan settlement is associated with a huge basin believed to be a dockyard?

   1. Lothal
   2. Kalibangan
   3. Rakhigarhi
   4. Harappa

9. Harappan seals were generally made of:

   1. Iron
   2. Steatite
   3. Wood
   4. Gold

10. Which famous Harappan object is a bronze figurine?

    1. Great Bath
    2. Dancing Girl
    3. Pashupati Seal
    4. Gamesboard

11. Which of the following was an important Harappan craft product?

    1. Carnelian beads
    2. Paper books
    3. Silk carpets
    4. Steel weapons

12. The Harappan writing system is:

    1. Fully understood
    2. Partially translated
    3. Not yet understood
    4. Written only in Sanskrit

13. Which crop was first grown in Eurasia by the Harappans?

    1. Tea
    2. Cotton
    3. Coffee
    4. Sugarcane

14. Which of the following is NOT considered a clear cause of the decline of the Harappan cities?

    1. Reduced rainfall
    2. Drier climate
    3. Drying of the Sarasvatī River
    4. A large-scale foreign invasion

15. The Harappan cities began to decline around:

    1. 3000 BCE
    2. 2500 BCE
    3. 1900 BCE
    4. 1000 BCE

Answer Key – MCQs

1. (b)    2. (b)    3. (c)    4. (b)    5. (a)    6. (b)    7. (c)    8. (a)    9. (b)    10. (b)    11. (a)    12. (c)    13. (b)    14. (d)    15. (c)

Section B – Fill in the Blanks

1. The Harappan Civilisation flourished approximately from ________ BCE to ________ BCE.
2. The people of the civilisation are commonly called ________.
3. The Great Bath is located at ________.
4. The Harappan writing system has not yet been fully ________.
5. Bronze is produced by adding ________ to copper.
6. Harappan seals were generally made of ________.
7. ________ was an important Harappan settlement in Gujarat associated with maritime trade.
8. The famous bronze figurine known as the ________ was found at Mohenjo-daro.

Section C – True or False

1. The Harappans were skilled farmers and craftspeople.
2. The Harappans did not participate in long-distance trade.
3. Dholavira had a sophisticated system of water management.
4. The Great Bath was found at Lothal.
5. Harappans used copper and bronze.
6. The Harappan script has been completely deciphered.
7. Lothal provides evidence of maritime activity.
8. The Harappan cities declined around 1900 BCE.

Section D – Very Short Answer Questions

1. What is meant by civilisation?
2. What is urbanism?
3. Why are the people of the civilisation called Harappans?
4. Name any two important Harappan cities.
5. What is fortification?
6. What is a reservoir?
7. What is bronze?
8. What is carnelian?
9. What were Harappan seals generally made of?
10. Where was the Dancing Girl found?

Section E – Short Answer Questions

1. What were the main characteristics of a civilisation?
2. How did villages develop into towns and cities in the Harappan region?
3. Describe the main features of Harappan town-planning.
4. Why was water management important for the Harappans?
5. Describe the drainage system of the Harappan cities.
6. What do the Great Bath and other water-management structures tell us about Harappan society?
7. What food crops were cultivated by the Harappans?
8. Describe the importance of trade in the Harappan Civilisation.
9. Why were carnelian beads important in Harappan trade and craft production?
10. What evidence shows that the Harappans had maritime trade?
11. What was the importance of Lothal?
12. What were Harappan seals and what may have been their purpose?

Section F – Long Answer Questions

1. Explain the major features of the Harappan Civilisation under the following headings:

   • Town-planning
   • Water management
   • Drainage
   • Agriculture
   • Crafts
   • Trade

2. Describe the food habits and agricultural practices of the Harappans. Mention the major crops cultivated by them.

3. Explain the trade and maritime activities of the Harappans. What evidence do Lothal and Harappan artefacts provide?

4. Describe the different types of objects discovered from Harappan sites and explain what they tell us about Harappan life and culture.

5. What happened to the Harappan cities around 1900 BCE? Explain the major factors that may have contributed to their decline.

6. “The decline of Harappan cities did not mean the complete disappearance of Harappan culture.” Explain.

Section G – Answer in Detail

1. Compare the Upper Town and Lower Town of Harappan cities.

2. Differentiate between water management and drainage in the Harappan Civilisation.

3. Differentiate between copper and bronze.

4. Explain why warfare or invasion is not considered a clear cause of the decline of the Harappan Civilisation.

5. How did climate change and the drying of the Sarasvatī River affect Harappan settlements?

Section H – Match the Following

Section I – Source / Thinking-Based Questions

1. A city has wide streets, planned houses, covered drains, wells and reservoirs.

   (a) What does this tell us about the people who lived there?

   (b) Which civilisation is famous for such urban planning?

   (c) Why would drainage and water storage be important in such a city?

2. Archaeologists find carnelian beads, shell bangles and objects made from copper at a Harappan settlement.

   (a) What do these objects tell us about Harappan crafts?

   (b) What do they suggest about trade?

   (c) Why was copper probably imported?

3. Suppose a river supplying water to a large group of settlements gradually dries up.

   (a) How might this affect agriculture?

   (b) How might it affect cities?

   (c) Relate your answer to the decline of the Harappan cities.

Section J – Map / Activity-Based Questions

1. On an outline map of the Indian Subcontinent, locate and label:
   • Harappa
   • Mohenjo-daro
   • Rakhigarhi
   • Kalibangan
   • Dholavira
   • Lothal
2. Prepare a simple chart showing the main features of Harappan civilisation.
3. Draw a labelled diagram of a planned Harappan city showing streets, houses, drains and water sources.
4. Make a flow chart showing: Village → Town → City → Urban Civilisation.
5. Collect pictures of any five Harappan objects and write one sentence about each.

Section K – Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)

1. Why do you think a large civilisation needed planned cities instead of randomly built houses?
2. Why would the Harappans need both reservoirs and drainage systems?
3. Why might trade have encouraged the growth of Harappan cities?
4. If agriculture declined because of reduced rainfall, how could this affect people living in cities?
5. Why is archaeological evidence important for understanding a civilisation whose writing system is still not understood?